Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Pillar Of Female Achievement? Really??

But forget Mrs. Clinton’s numerous years of “experience” in the White House. Let’s instead consider just the last 12 months or so, as she has been pursuing a return trip back to Pennsylvania Avenue.

At the start of 2007, Mrs. Clinton presented herself as very independent from Bill; they lived apart much of the time, and rarely appeared together publicly. By spring time, she had begun announcing that, when she becomes President, she’ll appoint Bill to be “ambassador to the world,” while Bill began speaking publicly about making himself “available” to help Hillary’s administration in any way that he could.

Through the summer Hillary and Bill campaigned both together, and separately, while in the fall months, “Operation Clinton” became more about Bill and all that he was planning to accomplish once they were both restored to their rightful place in the world - - the White House.

Thus far, 2008 has provided nothing short of a Clinton psychodrama. In the month of January alone, Bill admitted that there’s only “so much” he can do to get his spouse elected, and that he can’t make her “taller, younger, or male;” Bill insultingly described Obama’s stance on the Iraq war as a “fairytale;” Bill accused the media of being “stenographers” for the Obama campaign; Bill claimed that electing Obama to be President would be tantamount to "rolling the dice;" Bill compared Obama to the racially polarizing Jesse Jackson; we saw Bill explode into red-faced, Elton John-style tantrums with television news reporters; and after all this (and with Obama's polling numbers rising), Hillary explained that Bill just got a little “carried away” simply because he “loves her” so much, and assured voters that she’ll be able to “control him” when they return to the White House.

Do these details fit in the story of a feminist icon? If Hillary is a victim of a misbehaving spouse, then why is this so? A truly “powerful woman” wouldn’t remain in these abusive circumstances, and continue to be victimized- - would she?

If Hillary has not been victimized by Bill, then she would seem to be complicit with Bill’s insanity, willingly allowing him to play “bad cop” and do her dirty work. Such a relational arrangement may be symbiotic for the Clintons, but it’s difficult to think of Hillary as being “strong” or “independent” in this scenario.

Perhaps Senator Kennedy learned the truth of the Clintons years ago. One can only hope that a majority of Americans are now beginning to catching-on.